Best moment in an Anne McCaffrey novel

[Talysia]

I started a thread like this for a different author, so I thought I'd try one here, too. What do you think are the best moments in an Anne McCaffrey novel?

In my opinion, my favourite bit by far has to be at the end of DragonQuest, when Brekke calls for F'Nor and Canth during their ill-fated trip to the Red Star. I get a lump in my throat every time I read that part.

Otherwise, I'd say that the scene where Menolly and her fire lizards are singing "The Ballad of Moreta's Ride" in the dinner hall during Threadfall (in DragonSinger) during Threadfall. Another one I like would be the part where all the Weyrs of Pern are arrayed along the sides of the ships, ready to eradicate Thread once and for all.

 

[Goldrider Thais]

My best moment would be when Lessa made her trip back to get the Oldtimers, F'lar wracked with hopelessness for his lost lover...sigh.

Also, i would have loved to be present at Robinton's...uh...would you call it a funeral?

Cove Hold would be a "must see." Especially when Robinton first got to see what everybody did in their beloved Masterharper's honor.

 

[mirinda]

I'd loved the moment on Dragonfligt where the oldtimers and Benden Dragons fly together to sear thread. Also I love/hate Robinton's death scene it was so moving to me, Robinton and Aivas dying at the same time and the the poor firelizard as well (forgive me i cant' remember his name!) I almost cried .

 

[manephelien]

Zair is the firelizard.

The Impressions always make me tear up reading about Pern.

Also, in Dragonsdawn when Sean says to Admiral Benden: "...the Dragonriders of Pern." That's such an awesome moment.

In the Talent series, I really love it when the Rowan and Jeff first get together and she's able to overcome her fear of traveling in space when he is seriously injured.

 

[mirinda]

ah yes Zair thank you!

 

[tarifa]

when the riders and the dragons make contact for the first time, so many lovely moments, bridging that gap, forming that close a link with someone, makes me go all . . . .

 

[Talysia]

Oh, I forgot all about Impression. They're always so heartwarming, and they're great to read - or re-read! Thanks for reminding me, Tarifa!

 

[The Ace]

The end ? Sorry, she just leaves me cold. Seriously, though can anyone recommend a good place to start ? Every time I've picked up one of her books, I've always felt I'm joining a story halfway through.

 

[tarifa]

The end ? Sorry, she just leaves me cold. Seriously, though can anyone recommend a good place to start ? Every time I've picked up one of her books, I've always felt I'm joining a story halfway through.

know what you mean Ace, I think that a good place to start would be at the begining, not the first one she wrote but one that sets the stage, describing when humans first settled on Pern . . .

Dragonsdawn, first published 1989 . . . well worth a read, then see if the others take your fancy after that

 

[Toraspanda]

Dragonsdawn, yes, that's an excellent place to start - but so is Dragonflight, one of the very best of the Pern novels.
As to the best moments, there are very many, but they seem often to be at moments of great sadness, like the funeral of Sallah Telgar in Dragonsdawn, or the almost unbearably moving departure of Robinton in All the Weyrs of Pern. I have always been inexpressibly touched by little Zair's "choosing" to accompany his human between: it was only today, when listening to the audio version, read by Anne McCaffrey herself, that I realised the drudge had been told to feed the fire-lizard from one particular bowl and no other. Of course the little creature would have given the alarm as soon as he felt Robinton die, but that doesn't make the scene any less real and moving.

 

[manephelien]

Of the Pern series, I'd recommend Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern. It is the most stand-alone of all the books, even though Nerilka describes more or less the same events from a different POV. Moreta and Nerilka are set in the 6th Pass, rather than the 9th. Red Star Rising/Dragon's Eye is the only book set in the 2nd Pass, but somehow it feels like a continuation from DragonsDawn.

I would definitely recommend reading the books in published order rather than chronological. That way you get a feeling for how the author's ideas about the world developed. I find MasterHarper of Pern almost unreadable, however, because it contradicts so many of the rules set in the earlier books (women as Craft Masters, having read that first will make Menolly's story lose all its effectiveness, as it's set less than 50 years later).

(Hi Panda! I'm granath elsewhere. )

 

[Talysia]

I find MasterHarper of Pern almost unreadable, however, because it contradicts so many of the rules set in the earlier books (women as Craft Masters, having read that first will make Menolly's story lose all its effectiveness, as it's set less than 50 years later).

(Hi Panda! I'm granath elsewhere. )

I found that out about MasterHarper of Pern myself, and I think it has to be one of the books that I just find it difficult to reread.

And granath, Manephelien? Do you mean at the AMCF forum? I just started posting again there myself.

 

[Toraspanda]

(Hi Panda! I'm granath elsewhere. )

Hi there, manephelien/granath! I recognised that avatar so looked at your profile, and sure enough! That makes two people I know who are already here ...nice!

Talysia, although I was a member of the old Kitchen Table, where I first met manephelien, I never joined the AMCF. I had a board of my own, A Manor of Speaking, but sadly had to close it down recently as there was not enough participation. granath was one of the faithful members!

 

[manephelien]

Yes, I'm at AMCF too, but I meant more or less what Panda said.

Of course, my biggest favorite of all AMC series are the two Talent series, Pegasus and Tower. The first describes the development and slow acceptance of PSI powers among a small minority of people on Earth, the second describes expansion and colonization of the galaxy by a Talent-assisted humanity.

 

[Talysia]

Whoops, sorry about that. Not thinking straight today. I see what you mean, though. And the Tower series is one I've yet to read, so I think a trip to the library is in order...

 

[ghost8772]

Sorry guys, HATED Moreta and Nerilka's story. granted it might be considered a low point in society when they were furthest from remembering origins, and not having a clear path forward to where they were going, but Moreta having a similar path as Kylara and nobody caring? didn't sit right. for the person asking about what book to read? they ALL start somewhere in the middle. for a sampling of her stories though, maybe try Get off the Unicorn. collection of shorts in which most of her worlds are touched.

best moment? yeah Brekke's call hit that. both in her needing one person for her to hold on as well as the unity of the dragons to accomplish the impossible the first time.

next up would be the triumph felt by the colonists at fort hold when the dragons showed up "out of nowhere" unannounced..... and were taking on thread. nice build up of depression, followed by pure hope. felt the introduction was a trifle overdone though.....

 

[manephelien]

Moreta was nowhere near Kylara. She didn't use sex with powerful people to get more power herself. Actually, Moreta behaved the way Weyrwomen were expected to, only people keep comparing her with Lessa and F'lar who by Anne's admission were unusual in that they fell in love. I found Moreta more honest. She didn't have any time for Sh'gall outside of the mating flights and that was just fine by me.

 

[ghost8772]

thats my point though, of the weyr leaders that Anne wrote about, ONLY Moreta and Kylara are depicted as weyrwomen who had no time for the Weyrleader except for mating flights, and found enjoyment or whatever with other people. hence my naming the similarity. F'lar's parallel of Moreta to Lessa was from the Ballad and from Weyr legend that she could communicate with any dragon. In Moreta the novel though Moreta only spoke to Leri's queen. some of the changes were explained.... the ballad when written was decided to have Moreta dying on Orlith's back instead of Leri's queen (whom I can't remember the name). the circumstances or Moreta "having nothing to do with the weyrleader" outside of mating flights, but looking for love elsewhere, people dying left right center, the heroine dying, others dying, the continuation through nerilka of Alessan wanting to suicide also, this book was SO unlike Anne's other works, all gloom and doom.

 

[Goldrider Thais]

we-lll, with epidemic, you wouldn't expect it to be all bright and happy, would you? i, personally, loved Moreta and Nerilka...

 

[C'lin of Ista]

Lets see...... Ah, well, id have to say the best part was in Dragonflight, when Lessa impressed Ramoth. That started it all......